Wisdom Of Life

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God? Prosperity You can understand and even sympathize with people whose poverty and hardships have made them suspicious of God’s love and power. Has it ever occurred to you that prosperity is an even greater spiritual burden? Jesus told his shocked disciples once, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  ~Matthew 19:24 ( NIV ) He said this from sad experience, because his encounters with the wealthy were usually not pleasant. God gives money to people as a tool to make his agenda happen. He provides treats because he is kind and loves to see us happy. Alas, money can easily become a god to be pursued and worshiped for the power it gives. Has God tested you with prosperity? Is your life quite comfortable? Too comfortable? Do you struggle with trusting God because you don’t have to? Because you have more money than you need, and right now you feel fine? Do you feel a ne

Work Ethic There is a sound track running in most guys’ brains (and probably a lot of women’s too), and it goes like this: “I don’t want to work. I just want to bang on the drum all day.” When children are babies, their parents are their servants, even slaves, because they are so helpless. Teenagers kind of want it to stay that way. Teaching my own children to work willingly has proven to be one of the hardest aspects of my parenting (and it brings back faint memories of my own resistance to my father). They don’t want to work. I think Satan himself wears a feed cap that says, “Take this job and shove it.” Let us pray for God’s help and strength and guidance so that this generation of adults does not fail to pass on God’s mind-set to the next. "Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death."  ~Proverbs 19:18 (NIV) Hey, kid--take this job and love it. God bless

Honor God With Your Sexuality: Our love makes it right Spiritually weak people easily confuse lust with true love. Feeling a powerful attraction to someone else when you’re married, or to someone else who’s married, is a dangerous flirtation, not real love. People today seem to think that “being in love” justifies any and every action--cohabitation, dating married people, whatever. That powerful attraction must be obeyed and makes the sinful action “right.” God calls it playing with fire. "Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will gounpunished."  ~Proverbs 6:27-29 People caught up in the rush of sinful sexual attraction often suffer from cessation of brain function. That’s where you come in. Be a true friend. Tell them the truth. Help the people in your world come to respect marriage again. God bless

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."  1John 4:7 (NIV) Recently we discussed the difference between having a gardener’s mentality and a consumer’s mentality in marriage. Today we will look at another mindset that is critical to having a successful marriage. I call it having an “owner’s mentality” as opposed to a “renter’s mentality.” Suppose you were going to rent a house. Before signing the lease, the landlord said, “It will cost $50,000 to repair this house, and you will have to pay that amount in order to lease it.” What would you do? Obviously you wouldn’t agree to that, and neither would I. As a short-term renter, you simply wouldn’t invest that much money in someone else’s property. However, if you owned a house and discovered that extensive and expensive repairs were needed, it would be a different matter. As the owner, you would have a compelling interest to take care of the prope

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God? Fatigue “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  ~ Matthew 11:28 ( NIV ) Thanks to Satan, trusting in God is a challenge even when things are going well. Think how much harder it is to feel confident when you’re exhausted. “Good tired” is how you feel at the end of a productive day. But you probably also know “bad tired,” don’t you? Bad tired is when you are physically and emotionally drained by the selfishness of others, or worse yet, by your own foolishness and bad judgment. Are you the parent of a newborn who won’t let you sleep? Do you sit up in the dark waiting for your teenagers to come home? Have you spent yourself into some serious debt? Do problems at work give you insomnia? Are you fried by trying to work and go to school and manage a family all at the same time? Fatigue wears down your cheerfulness and patience. Fatigue breeds pessimism and bitterness. The Lord Jesus knew personally what severe

Waking Up: Remember the power you have One of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s most difficult tasks in training Luke Skywalker to be a true Jedi knight was to help him access all his resources. “Use the Force, Luke!” Obi-Wan would exhort him. We all know that this talk of “the Force” is just space mythology cooked up by George Lucas, right? You don’t have a Force within you. Or do you? George Lucas was perhaps closer than he realized to a powerful truth of authentic Christianity: the third person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, comes to live within the hearts of all believers when they are baptized. Scripture promises that your baptism is a washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is power from God for thinking, saying, and doing things that are pleasing to God. The Spirit brings you God’s wisdom from heaven through his wonderful Word. The Spirit also brings you God’s power to act on what you know. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understand

Honor God With Your Sexuality: I do; I will "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word ."  ~Ephesians 5:25-26 ( NIV ) One of the reasons we watch movies and consume sports is that we are all hungry for heroes. We all crave role models to help us know how to act in life. The public is also hungry for details of celebrities’ lives because they set the tone for our value systems. The most important human value that we all need, and need to show, is love. But you will not find much real love on the screen. Real love is not a mindless glandular response. Real love is a decision of one person to sacrifice of himself or herself to make someone else’s life better. It’s at the cross of Christ where you will find the purest example of the true love that we all need and crave. Christ is the hero and example that we must follow. “Husbands, love your wives, just

"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice ."  Isaiah 42:3 ( NIV ) Most people have a consumer’s mentality. When a consumer buys a product and brings it home and realizes there is a problem with it, he or she takes it back. As a consumer, you pay for something and you expect your money’s worth. You take no responsibility for the problem the product came with. Often couples bring a consumer mentality into their marriages. Obviously, we all marry imperfect people, and we ourselves are imperfect. But many people become overwhelmed by the faults of their spouses. In fact, it is common for couples to wonder if they married the wrong person at some point in time. Of course, the devil loves to point out your spouse’s flaws and problems because he is the accuser. To stop the devil in his tracks and to keep your spouse’s faults from overwhelming you and damaging your marriage, you must adopt a diff

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God? Doubt Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord ? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”  Genesis 18:13-14 (NIV) Is it good to be skeptical? If you’re a scientist, skepticism is considered a badge of honor. Scientists live to prove things. And it’s by doubting, trying, and testing that the great principles and laws of the universe are uncovered and the properties of matter better understood. Is it good to be doubtful and skeptical of God? Is it a good plan to devise tests to prove God’s existence, love, wisdom, or power? Not such a good idea. Doubting God was the first human sin. In the string of things that Satan planted in the minds of Adam and Eve, the first step was to doubt God’s Word. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was in many ways the mother of all believers. But her bitterness at being childless was so g

Waking Up: Remember whom you serve "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. ."  Proverbs 3:6 Wouldn’t it be silly if a receptionist answered the phone and didn’t know the name of the company she was representing? Wouldn’t it be silly if a sales rep never mentioned the name of his company? Wouldn’t it be silly if an employee forgot that she was an employee and imagined that she was the owner? Silly but believable. People do the same thing to God all the time. We all go through foggy stretches where we get confused about our mission in life. We forget that we’re all managers in God’s company, that our great purpose in life is to give God glory, receive and reflect his love, and act as his agents in bringing benefit to the lives of other people. That’s why you were created. That’s why you were redeemed. What is your life’s main purpose? Here’s one way to put it: “In all your ways acknowledge him” (Proverbs 3:6). Isn’t it amazing how much easier

Honor God With Your Sexuality: We’re seeing if we’re compatible "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."  Hebrews 13:4 If you are old enough to remember President Kennedy, then you are old enough to have witnessed a transformation in American society: the change from general embarrassment and shame about “shacking up” to almost complete societal approval given to unmarried couples living together. What do people give as a rationale? “We wanted to see if we’re compatible.” “We need to save money.” “Since we will ultimately probably break up anyway, it will hurt less than an actual divorce.” And for older couples: “If we get married, one of us will lose some Social Security benefits.” God remains unconvinced. In fact, he is enraged by this casual trashing of his creation plan. “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. " (Isaiah 26:3) I gave a phone interview recently with a researcher who wanted to know what I thought was the greatest threat to marriages in modern society. I told him that I thought there were several but one of the leading threats is stress. Society is moving at a faster pace than ever and demanding more of us all of the time. Especially during certain seasons or times of transition in life (births, deaths, illnesses, a new job, moving to a new city), couples experience the most pressure and more family problems as a result. To succeed in marriage, you simply must keep the stress in your life and household to a manageable level. You must view stress as an archenemy that threatens to destroy you. By the way, did you know that the primary cause of doctor’s office visits is stress-related illness? And financial stress destroys more marriages than any other single issue. The stress o

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God? Self-Hatred "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8 Everybody has been bullied. Everybody has been pushed around, ridiculed, and mocked. People assume that those doing the putting down must feel powerful, but actually it’s the reverse. People who hurt other people really don’t like themselves much, and so they want to drag others down to their own level of emotional misery. Honestly, though, we’d all have to admit that there are things about our own lives that we don’t like, and so we don’t like ourselves all that much either. The evil one wants us to think that we are worthless trash. He will use the meanness and cruelty of others, and our own weaknesses and failures, to make us loathe ourselves. Here’s why we need God so much. We depend on God’s high opinion of us to give us a reason to believe not only in him but in ourselves again. Scripture says, “God demonstr

Waking Up: Remember what you were "because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Proverbs 3:12 There are some bad boys out there who have forgotten about their quadruple bypass operation and are eating fat-fried food again. There are some bad girls who have forgotten about their emphysema and have started smoking again. There are some reckless diabetics who are careless with their insulin injections. Such people apparently have lost their fear of--and respect for--their disease. A real danger for people who have been Christians for a while is that they grow sleepy and careless in their security. They forget who they were and where they came from. They have lost their shock and awe at the fearful wrath of God on all evil. “The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked” (Proverbs 3:33). We all need to remember the terrible punishment that our Savior Jesus Christ absorbed for our sake on the cross. We all need to re-appreciate how exp

Honor God With Your Sexuality: Just looking "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Matthew 5:28 ( NIV ) Some people assume that pornography was more or less invented by Playboy magazine. Actually, many of the very first photographic images made, in the years before the Civil War, had sexual content. Why? For the money, of course. Sex always sells. Today we are awash in it. Most corner gas stations and truck stops have plastic-covered magazines on the top shelf. Some estimate that 30% of all websites are pornographic. Does it matter? Is it really adultery if you’re just looking? The Lord Jesus himself, who had to endure Satan’s sexual temptation just as much as we do, warned that sin is not only in the action but in the thought process as well: “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Husbands, look at your wives. Si

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions."  Exodus 16:4 ( NIV ) We often long for God to reveal the whole path before us, but He usually gives us only one stepping stone at a time. During Israel's desert wandering, God set up a system that required the Israelites to trust in His provision on a daily basis. He knew self-sufficiency would draw them away from Him. It can be tough to choose a path of daily dependence on God in our lives and the lives of our children. We desperately want to plan, orchestrate, and manipulate all the details because it gives us a sense of control. The illusion of control however, can tempt us to rely on ourselves instead of God. Are you holding tightly to your sense of control, or are you depending on God for guidance? Trust your children to God each morning. He k

" Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."  (Proverbs 15:22) In many major cities, especially in the South, you will notice an emergency designation on main highways that is there to help people flee when a dangerous hurricane is approaching. Local authorities wisely plan before a disaster strikes, because it can save lives and prevent chaos from setting in and creating even more problems than a natural disaster. Couples also need to have a disaster plan for their marriages. It is almost inevitable that every couple will face an impasse at some point. It could be over the issue of sex, children, in-laws, money, an affair, or any number of issues. An emergency plan simply means you have agreed together that in the event you can’t work things out as a couple, you will go together to seek and submit to pastoral or professional Christian counsel. Without this, a dangerous dynamic can set in and you will either lock down into a running battle or, j

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God? Guilt "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9 ( NIV ) It’s really hard to trust God when you feel guilt in his presence. Guilt comes on two levels. There’s head guilt and heart guilt. In our heads we know that we have broken God’s rules for our behavior. But guilt is also the wretched feeling of shame and failure in our hearts. Sometimes we let God’s Word get us halfway there. We hear the gospel message and know that we have been forgiven, but we don’t feel forgiven. We still feel dirty; we still feel the intense disappointment we must be to God. You might think, “Okay, I know Jesus died for me, but I still feel like such a fool. I don’t feel worthy of his love, and I can’t claim with a straight face to be holy and blameless.” The Bible tells us that personal confession is a necessary part of healing the emotional baggage of guilt: “If we confess

Waking Up: Remember what you were "The Lord ’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous."   Proverbs 3:33 ( NIV ) There are some bad boys out there who have forgotten about their quadruple bypass operation and are eating fat-fried food again. There are some bad girls who have forgotten about their emphysema and have started smoking again. There are some reckless diabetics who are careless with their insulin injections. Such people apparently have lost their fear of--and respect for--their disease. A real danger for people who have been Christians for a while is that they grow sleepy and careless in their security. They forget who they were and where they came from. They have lost their shock and awe at the fearful wrath of God on all evil. “The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked” (Proverbs 3:33). We all need to remember the terrible punishment that our Savior Jesus Christ absorbed for our sake on the cross. We all need to r

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14 ( NIV ) Trapped against the sea, the Israelites watched in terror as the Egyptians advanced in hot pursuit. Moses alone remained calm and encouraged the people not to be afraid. He challenged them to be still and allow the Lord to fight for them. As we raise our children, we too will be faced with panic-inducing situations. If we do not have a solid foundation of faith, we may be overcome with fear and tempted to act rashly. Instead, God asks us to pause and seek his guidance. He reminds us the battle is His. Obviously this requires us to depend on God's wisdom instead of our own. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to be still. When faced with difficult parenting situations, seek God's guidance before you act. And, let Him

Honor God With Your Sexuality: God loves human sexuality? Really? "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves. How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant."  Song of Solomon 1:15-16 ( NIV ) The Christian community in the early centuries struggled with a balanced view of human sexuality. The missionary hero Paul was single and urged others to imitate him. The words "virgin" and "Mary" became welded together and seemed to indicate that God had a strong preference for perpetual virginity. Jesus himself never married. And so some concluded that human sexuality is essentially dirty and impure, a gross necessary evil for the propagation of our species. Does it surprise you to know that God delights in human sexuality and approves of it? Think about it--he invented maleness and femaleness. He was so excited about his first two people that he didn’t let them live singly. He brought Eve to Adam

" Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) In your house, I’m sure you have a thermostat that controls the heating and/or air conditioning. On that thermostat there is also a thermometer that shows the actual temperature. Of course, the thermostat is the more important of the two, because it actually controls the environment. The thermometer merely reflects the work of the thermostat. In marriage, you must determine what the thermostat of your relationship is going to be—emotion or decision. In other words, how are you going to control the atmosphere of your relationship? Is it going to be determined by how you feel or by deciding to do the right thing regardless of how you feel? When you build your marriage upon the thermostat of decision, it doesn’t mean that emotions aren’t important. It simply means that both of you are willing to act above your emotions if they are negative or passive. Because you act in a positive and proactive man

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God? Fear "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.".  Isaiah 41:10 ( NIV ) . What are you afraid of right now? You can be a tough guy and say, “I’m not afraid of anything.” But you are--be honest. Others have the opposite response: “I have so many fears--where do I start?” Fear holds us back from trusting and believing. Fear paralyzes. Fear makes our painful memories much more intense. Fear breeds despair about the future and makes us not like our present very much either. Fear makes us blind to the blessings we have, and fear makes it difficult, even impossible, to believe that there will be good things to come. God’s Old Testament people, the nation of Israel, had much to worry about in the eighth century B.C. Their armies were being battered, their cities looted, and their cattle stolen. People were being captured and ens

"Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,"  Proverbs 3:13 ( NIV ) One of the most miserable sights is the televised press conference called by a politician who has been caught with a prostitute, gay lover, congressional page, or intern. He or she struggles, squirms, makes excuses, evades direct questions, and looks miserable. Sometimes the politicians appear on camera standing next to ashen-faced spouses. Think how much damage can be done to people’s lives with a moment of impulsive and reckless sin. If only they had thought about that potential damage before they acted on their selfish impulses. If only someone had awakened them from their immoral stupor before they did all that harm to the people in their families. That’s the essence of learning by words instead of pain. Now is the time to listen to God’s Word. Now is the time to take his words to heart. Now is the time to wake up and remember what’s at stake. “Blessed is the man who finds wisd

"You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."  1 Corinthians 6:13 ( NIV ) First Corinthians chapter 7 is a marvelous essay on the paradox of single versus married life. In it you will hear Paul urge marriage for all, since there was (and regrettably still is) so much sexual immorality. You will also hear him urge the single life, since he personally so highly prized his independence. So which is it? Does God prefer singlehood or marriage? The answer is yes. Anyone who is living in the 21st century is forced to live in an age of sex obsession. Sexual temptation is one of Satan’s very best weapons. It works reliably and leaves a trail of human wreckage in its wake. Here is God’s will for your temple: “The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body” (1 Corinthians 6:13). Someone you know

"":When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”". Exodus 13:17 ( NIV ) God did not lead the Israelites on a direct path from Egypt to the Promised Land. Instead, He opted for a route that avoided obstacles and challenged them to evaluate their hearts. In the course of our parenting journey, God sometimes takes us on detours that seem counterproductive. While we often have a wonderful story written for the lives of our children, it is usually one that does not include pain and hardship. Inevitably God's story takes us to places we wouldn't choose to go on our own, but they are the very routes that develop maturity, integrity, and perseverance. When you are in the midst of one of these detours, challenge yourself to adopt God's eternal perspective. He is making your kids more like His. God bless

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."  Ecclesiastes 9:10 ( NIV ) There is an interesting paradox about successful marriages. The first part of the paradox has to do with the fact that, according to research, the most successful couples are those with high expectations for their marriages. However, high expectations by themselves are a setup for disappointment and sure failure unless they are combined with a realistic assessment of what it will take to make those dreams come true. This is the essence of the paradox—high expectations must be combined with a tough-minded commitment to pay the price necessary to attain the desired outcome. It’s no different from having a dream to own a successful business. The desire is wonderful as long as you expect to have to work hard and make some sacrifices. The same is true of a desire to have a bo

"Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."   Proverbs 3:12 (NIV) As hard as it is to deliver a consequence to a child for a bad choice, the alternative can often be even worse. When I am tempted to forego discipline, I have to ask myself, "What is the most loving thing I can do for my child?" In almost every case, the answer is to give the child the consequence he has earned, so he can learn the lesson God has designed for him. A good consequence, delivered with empathy, demonstrates love and respect for your child's freedom to choose and his ability to learn from the consequence of a bad decision. The author of Hebrews says it well: "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness" (Heb 12:11). God bless

Honor God With Balance in Your Life: Play "Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast."   ~ Matthew   9:14-15 (NIV) Christianity is serious business. It is about life and death, eternal life and eternal death. But living the Christian life is not all grim warfare, rigorous self-denial, and patient suffering. It is fun too. Maintaining life balance also means creating space for downtime, fooling around, having a party, relaxing, and enjoying God’s beautiful creation. “John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn?'” (Matthew 9:14,15). Christ’s work for us was completely successful, and that means th

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out."  Proverbs 10:9 ( NIV ) The word integrity means “completeness” or “wholeness.” It simply means that nothing is lacking and that everything is in proper condition. To live a life of integrity means that every area of your life is in a generally healthy and morally sound condition. Of course, we all know that none of us are perfect. To have integrity doesn’t mean that perfection must be your standard. It simply means that you haven’t surrendered an area or areas of your life to unrepentant sin, illegal activity, deception, or any other type of serious compromise. What you must understand about integrity in order to value it properly is the fact that one area of compromise can seriously damage or destroy you. The example I use to describe this is how a home is robbed. A burglar doesn’t need every door and window in a house to be opened for him to rob it. No, one entry point wil

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."  Proverbs 31:10-12 ( NIV )   Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:10-12) Trust is an essential element of intimacy and goodwill in marriage. The more you trust your spouse, the more you can relax when you’re together and open your hearts to each other. This is what makes a “comfortable” relationship. That doesn’t mean comfortable in the bad sense, where you are lazy and take each other for granted. This is comfortable in the best sense of the word. The rewards of trust are immense. An example is sexual fulfillment. Nationwide polls prove that the best sex isn’t experienced by swinging singles. It is ex

Honor God With Balance in Your Life: Work  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,".  Philippiansn2 :3 ( NIV ) I don’t know a lot of people who have found perfect balance in their work and family lives. Many times I question my own time decisions. I know unemployed and under-employed people, and I struggle and grieve with them over their finances and feelings of low self-worth. I also know people whose jobs have consumed them and who are hurting their families and draining their joy in life. It is hard to get it right. Here’s a little advice from Paul, a man who gave his all for Jesus Christ, but who didn’t destroy himself or others in the process: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” (Philippians 2:3). Here are some diagnostic questions if you fear you may be out of balance. Ask yourself: Am I doing this just for money? Do I need this much? Am I addicted to acquiring things or building up

"Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.". John 14:23 ( NIV ) Life is busy and filled with distractions. It's so easy to get caught up in our cares, errands and worries that we lose sight of what matters most. There's an interesting little story at the end of Luke chapter two about when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem for Passover when He was twelve years old. After the festival was over, they left to go home, supposing He was with them. I wonder how many times we suppose God's with us when we've wandered off to do our own thing? Now here's the interesting part. Mary and Joseph had traveled a day's journey before they realized Jesus wasn't with them and then it took three days to find Him. Three days! The message here is that it's easier to lose that special presence of God than it is to get it back once we've lost it. We need

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,"  Philippians 3:13 ( NIV ) As we flick the calendar to a new year, we come face to face with the fact that our days on earth are numbered. As the Psalmist wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” No thoughtful person can approach New Year’s Day without some introspection. We are reminded of the brevity of time. We also look back over our failures, mistakes, and missed opportunities, and vow that we will make better use of our time during the coming year. We should take time to be pleasant, to smile, to extend the small courtesies we often omit—to show love to our family. Psychiatrists tell us that most people are starved for love. Take time for the goodbye kiss; we shall go to work with a sweeter spirit. Let us take time to get acquainted with our families. We are not machine

Honor God With Balance in Your Life: Clothes "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."   ~1 Timothy 2:9-10 ( NIV ) This issue is the twin to the previous one. Clothes are part of our society’s way to project beauty and femininity. They are also tools for projecting sexuality. There is power in sex--power to get attention, favors, and money. Every new fashion season brings another wave of pressure to sexualize women more, to wear clothes that are tighter and skimpier. Young women figure out pretty quickly that projecting sexuality gets men’s attention and money. What many women do not understand is that it does not get men’s love and respect. Nor does it get God’s respect. He has a better way. “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.". 1 Corinthians 13:13 ( NIV ) . About ten years ago my uncle Charles died. He was a good man and had a happy marriage of forty years to my aunt Peggy. As I was preparing to do his eulogy at the funeral, my aunt told me that he wrote her a new poem every day before he went to work and left it on the kitchen table. Wow! Obviously, he understood the importance of keeping their romance alive on a daily basis. One of the biggest misconceptions in marriage is that romance can be infrequent and a marriage will still stay strong. No relationship can be maintained solely through the right chemistry or the idea of being “soul mates.” A strong relationship is the product of developing the right relational habits and exercising important skills that help build and maintain a strong marriage. So let’s talk about what romance is and what it isn’t. When you are romantic, you communicate a unique val

"The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah," Exodus 1:15 ( NIV ) The Hebrew midwives feared God and did not obey the king's request. Interestingly the Bible records the names of the midwives, but not the name of the Egyptian king. By worldly standards this doesn't make sense. Egyptian kings are far more "important" than Hebrew midwives. But people who are revered on earth don't necessarily possess the qualities that are celebrated by God. It is so easy to crave validation, status, and notoriety for our kids. We are tempted to buy into our culture's definition of "success." God's plan for our kids, however, may not bring worldly fame. Even so we should rejoice because there is no greater blessing than raising kids who are faithful to their calling. Are you encouraging your kids to be significant to the world, or to God? God bless

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge i n him."  Psalm 34:8 ( NIV ) . It's important that we know God's character. Why? It gives us discernment. If we don't know the character of God, how can we ever know who is from God and who is not from God? Here are three character traits of God that help me stay in tune with who He is and what He is doing: 1. Justice: God is a God of justice. That word justice is so awesome because it means that He will always make anything that's wrong right. This helps me to not worry when I am mistreated because I know God will bring justice. It's who He is. 2. Goodness: God is good, this fact never changes. And He's good all the time, not just once in a while or when things go your way. Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" (NIV). When things are bad, I find great encouragement in God's goodness. 3. Holiness:

Honor God With Balance in Your Life: Beauty "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."   1 Peter 3:3-4 ( NIV ) It’s tough to be a guy, to learn society’s rules and expectations and achieve respect. It is even harder to be a woman. Our society is merciless with its beauty demands. Every female, already vulnerable to insecurity and self-doubt, is tormented by heavy daily doses of advertising--images of women with perfect skin, nails, and hair, no wrinkles or sags, and perfect figures. Women are told relentlessly that their worth is bound up in their appearance. And of course since all fail to match up to the magazine models, thousands of cosmetic products (and surgeries) are available to help (and make money for the providers). God has a different vis

"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."  Proverbs 11:25 ( NIV ) There is a story I heard years ago about the difference between heaven and hell. It isn’t a biblically accurate story, but that’s not the point. It is accurate related to human behavior and how our attitudes affect our happiness in life and in marriage. Here it is: In heaven and in hell, people are seated around a banquet table and before them is a great feast. There is a strange dilemma, however, about the way they must eat. Every person has eating utensils strapped to their hands that they cannot take off. Also, the utensils are too long for them to feed themselves. There is no way they could scoop food and return it to their own mouths. In heaven, the people easily find the solution. With joy, they simply feed each other and have a great time of fellowship as they serve one another and enjoy the feast that heaven offers. Hell is much different. The people in hell ar